Bloodstar, The Tyrant of StormClan
by starcatcher1
Summary: Bloodkit, the nursery bully. Bloodpaw, a loyal apprentice. Bloodstrike, clinging to the warrior code. Bloodstar, the tyrant of StormClan. This is the story of Bloodstar and he came to be a tyrant. (I do not own Warriors.)
1. Bloodkit: Allegiances

**ALLEGIANCES**

**STORMCLAN**

**LEADER**-Thunderstar (Dark grey solid tom with yellow eyes)

**DEPUTY**-Badgerstripe(Black and white tom with green eyes)

**MEDICINE CAT**-Tigerleaf(Light orange brown tabby with green eyes)

**WARRIORS**-

Smokeflame(Dark grey tabby tom with orange eyes.)

Apprentice- Bluepaw

Mistwing(Misty grey solid she cat with grey eyes.)

Ambergaze(Pale grey tabby she cat with amber eyes)

Apprentice-Firepaw

Emberfang(Bright ginger tabby tom with amber eyes)

Foxtail(Solid reddish brown tom with green eyes)

Apprentice-Darkpaw

Snowstorm(White solid tom with green eyes)

Winterwish(White shecat with blue eyes)

Wolfshade(Brown tabby tom with amber eyes)

**APPRENTICES**-

Bluepaw(Blue grey tabby she cat with blue eyes)

Firepaw(Ginger she cat with yellow eyes)

Darkpaw(Black smoke tabby tom with blue eyes)

Leafpaw(Brown tabby tom with green eyes)

**QUEENS-**

Midnightshadows(Black smoke tabby she cat with dark blue eyes. Mother of Frostkit and Blackkit)

Dapplefur(Pretty calico she cat with green eyes. Mother of Bloodkit, Everlastingkit, Silverkit, and Ashkit)

Leafmoon(pale silver tabby shecat. Expecting the kits of Foxtail)

**KITS-**

Bloodkit(Bright ginger tabby tom with amber eyes)

Everlastingkit(Calico shecat with green eyes)

Silverkit(Dark silver tabby she cat with green eyes)

Ashkit(Dark Grey tabby tom with amber eyes)

Blackkit(Black tom with green eyes)

Frostkit(White shecat with blind blue eyes)

**WATERCLAN**

**LEADER**-Riverstar(Dark blue grey tom with blue eyes)

**DEPUTY**-Littleflower(Small cream tabby she cat with green eyes)

**MEDICINE CAT-**Goldenspirit(Golden yellow tabby tom with orange eyes)

Apprentice-Ivypaw

**WARRIORS-**

Wildlight(Pale brown tabby she cat with yellow eyes)

Mosspool(Grey tabby she cat with green eyes)

Nighthowl(Black smoke tabby tom with amber eyes)

Brightlight(Pale ginger tabby shecat with blue eyes)

Apprentice-Icepaw

Owlheart(Black smoke tabby tom with amber eyes)

Tigerstripe(Brown tabby tom with green eyes)

Apprentice-Sunpaw

Swiftflame(Ginger tabby tom with yellow eyes)

Willowcreek(Pale grey tabby she cat with blue eyes)

Skytalon(White solid tom with orange eyes)

**APPRENTICES-**

Icepaw(White tom with blue eyes)

Sunpaw(Ginger shecat with orange eyes)

Ivypaw(Solid grey shecat with blue eyes)

**NIGHTCLAN**

**LEADER**:Shadowstar(Jet black shecat with dark grey eyes)

**DEPUTY**:Thornstep(Brown tabby tom with green eyes)

**MEDICINE CAT**:Mudberry(Dark brown solid tom with orange eyes)

**WARRIORS**:

Moonlight(Pale blue grey tabby shecat with light blue eyes)

Apprentice:Snowpaw

Silentstep(Black shecat with icey blue eyes)

Stormclaw(Dark grey tabby tom with green eyes)

Beetlestripe(Grey tabby tom with amber eyes)

Apprentice:Bravepaw

Briarclaw(Brown tabby tom)

Vixentail(Fluffy red shecat with white tail tip)

Cedarlight(Russet colored shecat with amber eyes)

**APPRENTICES**:

Snowpaw(White shecat with green eyes)

Bravepaw(Black tom with amber eyes)

**BREEZECLAN**

**LEADER:**Windstar(Silver tabby shecat with grey eyes)

**DEPUTY:**Kestrelwing(Pale brown tabby shecat)

**MEDICINE CAT:**Morninglight(Light ginger tabby shecat)

Apprentice:Skypaw

**WARRIORS:**

Runningwolf(brown tabby tom)

Apprentice:Honeypaw

Fawnspots(Pale brown shecat with white spots on her back)

Aspenwing(Grey tabby shecat)

Buzzardscreech(White tom with black stripes)

Stoneclaw(Gray tabby tom)

Apprentice:Cloverpaw

Softsong(White shecat)

**APPRENTICES:**

Cloverpaw(Gray tabby shecat)

Wasppaw(Yellow tabby tom)

Skypaw(Gray tabby tom)


	2. Bloodkit: Delayed Apprenticeship

I crouch, wiggling my haunches, my eyes trained on the mouse before me. I leap, perfectly aimed, and land on my target.

"Hey!" Everlastingkit, the mouse's previous owner, screeches. "You already had a mouse! That's mine! Meanie!" She hit me with her paw, claws sheathed.

I shrug. "I'm still hungry." I reply carelessly. She can just get another mouse, after all. It's the middle of Greenleaf. Everlastingkit's green eyes flash as she turns and runs toward the nursery.

"HE STOLE MY MOUSE!" She yowls at the top of her lungs. Dapplefur, my mother, jumps and glares at Everlastingkit.

I turn back to my stolen mouse and take a bite, trying to appear as if I am enjoying the food immensely. "Mmm." I say loudly, watching Everlastingkit out of the corner of my eye.

"Ugh!" She rages. I smile widely and lick my lips.

Dapplefur sighs and get up. I can hear her coming over to scold me, but I can't make myself care. The worst thing that would possibly happen is that I would be confined to the nursery, I would be as unbearable as possible, and Dapplefur would let me leave. She was almost more of a pushover than Frostkit.

"Bloodkit, you know better." Dapplefur says.

"Yes I do." I admitted. "Am I grounded?" I give her a bored, uninterested look.

"No." She sighs. "But if this behaviour continues, there will be consequences worse than grounding." With that, she plods away to the freshkill pile and selects a wonderfully large mouse for Everlastingkit. Everlastingkit gasps with delight when she receives it.

I shrug the thought off and finish off the mouse. Scowling, I look around the StormClan camp for another kit to play with. I see a flash of black fur before someone rams into from the side.

"Blackkit!" I laugh. I swing a paw at him, but he dodges. The fluffy black tom grins, his his green eyes just as playful as usual. I grin. "Have you eaten?"

Blackkit snorts. "Yeah. You can't steal my mouse."

"Everlastingkit is such a pushover." I say, stealing a glance at my sister as she finishes her mouse. "She makes it way too easy to push her around.

"Yeah. I bet she'll be the worst warrior in all four clans." Blackkit agrees. "Frostkit won't even be a warrior. How can she? She blind!"

I nod in agreement. "Hey, looks like Everlastingkit, Silverkit, and Frostkit are playing hide and go seek. We should play." I say.

Blackkit scowls. "No thanks. I'm gonna go talk to the apprentices." He trots away toward the apprentice den. I shrug and go over to the she-kits.

"Hello, you three. Playing Hide-and-go-seek?" I ask.

Silverkit glares at me and shoves her face in mine. "You're not invited." She snarls. Her gaze burns into my fur.

I bare my teeth. "Dapplefur says you have to let me play with you." I shoot back.

"Just let him play, Silverkit." Everlastingkit mutters.

Silverkit huffs angrily. "Fine." She says.

"Can I seek?" Frostkit asks, her tone ever cheerful.

Her? Seek? She must be joking. She can't see anything that's half a tail length in front of her!

"Of course!" Everlastingkit says. "Let's hide, guys!" She prances away. Silverkit casts a glare back at me, then follows.

I turn and trot in the opposite direction.

I hide a gap in the bramble wall, crouching in my ingenious hiding spot. Yet I soon see a set of white paws come over. Frostkit...?

"Found you!" She squeaks. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't smell you." She smiles.

Bored, I squeeze out of my hiding place and tackle her. She hisses and swipes at me, claws out. I dodge and pounce. I bite her on the tip of her ear. She squirms away

"What in StarClans name is WRONG with you?" She hisses. I shrug. She darts over to Midnightshadows.

"Bloodkit bit me!" She says loudly.

Mother rises instantly to her paws. She marches angrily over to me and wordlessly picks me up. I don't protest. Mother is annoyingly stubborn. She drops me on the floor of the nursery.

"Unacceptable, Bloodkit!" She hisses, tail lashing angrily. I sigh and lay down in my nest.

"She's fine. It was just a little nip!"

"I don't care. You must be punished, and you were warned! You will watch from the nursery as every other kit is apprenticed tomorrow. You can wait another moon for your turn."

"WHAT?!" I screech. "You can't DO THAT!"

"I most certainly can." Mom says. "You aren't grounded, because StarClan knows what kind of havoc you would wreak in this place. Leafmoon is having kits soon!"

I bristle angrily. My claws dig into the ground. How could she do this to me? I lash my tail and storm out of the nursery.


	3. Bloodkit: Life As A Bored Clan Kit

I pad over to the big tree in the center of camp. It is almost deserted. Some cats are out hunting, and most are gone at the gathering, including the new apprentices. _I should be with them..._ I sigh quietly. Several cats are asleep.

I decide to take the gathering as a chance to explore. I slip past the Medicine Cat Den and into the Apprentice Den.

_So this where I should be sleeping_. I think bitterly. I turn and pad away. I explore all of the dens. There is nothing special about any of the dens. I decide to explore the forest. But just as I'm about to leave, everyone returns.

Firepaw was the first to bound into camp. "Hello, Bloodkit!" She says before darting over to her mentor, Ambergaze.

I look around for Blackpaw, who, unbeknownst to me, has snuck up behind me. He pounces on me, grinning. I twist around and kick the clumsy apprentice off, then leap up and pin him to the ground.

He stares at me, wide-eyed. "You're better than me at that!" He says. I allow him to squirm away. "You'll make an amazing apprentice, with an amazing mentor." He has a knowing smile spread on his face.

"What do you mean? How would you know who my mentor will be?" I ask, suspicious. "What do you know?"

"I overheard Thunderstar and Wolfshade talking about who should mentor you. Thunderstar suggested Snowstorm or Badgerstripe, but Wolfshade said that you had too much potential to be wasted by them." Blackpaw glances at Badgerstripe, the biggest warrior in the clan.

"But they're both amazing warriors!" I protest. Badgerstripe as my mentor! What a thought!

"Your mentor will be better than both of them put together! It's Wolfshade! He's the one that mentored both Snowstorm and Badgerstripe, you know." Blackpaw smiled.

"Yeah. He's the best warrior in the clan. Even better than Thunderstar, I bet." I say.

"I thought you knew better than to eavesdrop, Blackpaw." Says a voice behind me. I turn to see Wolfshade looming over me, not looking cross, but rather amused.

"Sorry, Wolfshade. I didn't mean to eavesdrop at first, but then I heard Thunderstar say something about Bloodkit's mentor, and curiosity got the better of me." Blackpaw shuffles his paws nervously.

"It's fine. Apprentices are bound to stick their noses into other cats' business sometimes." Wolfshade says. He turns to me. "I see much potential in you. You could be the best, with the correct teaching." He dips his head and pads away. I stare at him leave.

"Now I literally can't wait." I say. Blackpaw laughs.

"Yeah." He says. "Anyhow, its time to go to bed. Good night." He pads over to the apprentice den, winking at Firepaw on his way there. Firepaw wrinkles her nose.

I spend my next several days bored out of my mind. Listening to elders' stories and playing with my food doesn't do anything to ease my suffering. I eventually give up trying to stay in camp. Almost seven moons strait staying in this place! So one day, after Wolfshade sends out a hunting patrol, I slip out of camp and follow them.

The patrol consists of Badgerstripe, Ambergaze, Blackpaw, and my father, Emberfang. Badgerstripe glances around.

"Lets split up and meet by the river. Catch as much prey as you can _without_ crossing the border." Badgerstripe glares at Blackpaw, who grins nervously. The rest of the group nods and leaves. Badgerstripe is the last to go. He sniffs the air and I grow tense. Has he smelled me? He can't have; I'm downwind. I let go of my breath as Badgerstripe finally leaves.

I decide to follow Ambergaze. She pads slowly, attentively, through the forest. Her ears shoot up and she looks in my direction. I freeze. The grey shecat turned away and continued through the forest. I grin and follow.

I returned to camp unnoticed, before anyone realized I was gone. I did it several times. I watched cats hunt, battle train, and simply go around the forest. I tried a hunters crouch, but I don't think I'm very good at that yet. I went out as often as I could, but that wasn't too much.

It's not the most exciting life. There was almost a fight with NightClan recently, and BreezeClan is stealing prey. Thunderstar says he'll address it at the next gathering. I am nearly bursting with excitement. My apprentice ceremony is so soon! The days pass in a blur, and suddenly...

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here underneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"


	4. Bloodpaw: Deputy's Apprentice

I stare down at my clanmates. Firepaw, now called Firelight, was smiling now that she had gotten her warrior name.

"From this moment on, until you recieve your Warrior name, you will be called Bloodpaw. Your mentor will be Badgerstripe."

Badgerstripe pads up, puffing out his chest. I am stunned. My mentor is supposed to be Wolfshade! Absentmindedly, I touch my nose to his. I look around, and see Blackpaw with a look of confusion on his face. He frowns. Wolfshade is unreadable. Is he disappointed I wasn't his apprentice? A part of me is, but... My mentor is the Deputy!

He takes me out into the forest after the ceremony.

"Show me your hunters crouch." He instructs. I crouch. "Good. But lower your tail, but not so low that its brushing the leaves." I comply. He examines my crouch.

"Best crouch I've ever seen on a new apprentice." He says, clearly impressed. "Lets see if you can catch anything. Go hunt, I'll be watching." He turns and pads away.

I look around. I don't know how to find prey. I have to try; The faster we finish the faster I learn to fight. I open my mouth, inhaling the scents around me. Mouse, stale. Twolegs, stale. Fox, stale. I pad silently out of the clearing. Obviously, nothing is there.

I creep through the forest, alert for any smells or sounds. I hear something up in a tree, and I quickly look up. Was that Badgerstripe? If it is, I don't care. I'm hunting for food, not cats. I hear something to my right, and drop to a crouch. Its a vole.

I pad forward slowly, staying light on my paws. I am in pouncing range. I tense and prepare to pounce. The vole looks up, sniffing. Suddenly, Everlastingpaw bursts from the bushes and lands on my prey, killing it quickly. I stand up, angry.

"That was my prey!" I say.

"You wouldn't have caught it." Everlastingpaw says, shaking her head. "You came from upwind! It already knew you were there and was about to run."

Fuming, I turn and pad away.

After one more failed attempt, I catch a rabbit. Not a bad first catch. In fact, it is great! Badgerstripe is very impressed.

"You are one lucky apprentice." Badgerstripe says. We spend all day hunting. No fighting. I ask him about it, but he says that hunting is the most important skill, because leafbare is quickly approaching.

I hate it, but he is right. Prey is becoming more and more scarce. We are all still eating, but its harder to hunt. Soon, its time for the gathering. I am, of course, going as well as Wolfshade, Firelight, Darkpaw, Blackpaw, Ashpaw, Ambergaze, Midnightshadows, and Smokeflame.

It's really cold, but I don't complain. We enter the clearing, and I can only gape at how many cats there are. As I descend the hill, I wonder what cats do here. I notice cats talking to eachother. Their scents are foreign to me, and Ashpaw tells me how to distinguish between different Clans.

WaterClan smells like fish, BreezeClan like rabbits, and NightClan like pine trees. I've smelled fish before, at the border, but WaterClan smelled much stronger. I sit alone, tail curled around my paws.

"Hello." A cat says behind me. I turn to see a black, BreezeClan shecat standing. "I'm Ravenpaw." She says.

"I'm Bloodpaw." I say.

"What Clan are you from?" Ravenpaw asks. "I don't really know the scents. Except for WaterClan; They were easy to guess." She wrinkles her nose.

I laugh a bit. "I'm from StormClan. You're from Breezeclan, right?"

She nods. "That's right. Are you a new apprentice?" She tilts her head, staring at me with large green eyes.

"Yeah. I'm guessing you too, if you don't know the scents." I say.

She nods again. "So..." She shuffles her paws. "Hows the prey in StormClan?"

"Fairly well. How about BreezeClan?" Before she can answer, a loud yowl sounds from the Highbranch, where the leaders address the clans at gatherings.

"Cats of all clans!" Thunderstar yowled, silencing all cats. "Welcome to the gathering."


	5. Bloodpaw: Battle Training

"Where's Badgerstripe?" Firelight asks. "He was hunting last night..." There is no need to say he never came back. I frown. That's odd.

"He's not in his nest. We wasn't at all." Snowstorm says.

"Send out patrols to search for him." Thunderstar says. "Bloopaw, Firelight, Snowstorm, Wolfshade, and Darkpaw."

I nod and pad after Wolfshade.

"Bloodpaw, Firelight, go search the Sunrocks." Wolfshade says. "Snowstorm, Darkpaw, come with me."

I start running toward the Sunrocks. I push through the bushes and look around. Beside me, Firelight lets out a screech of horror. I follow her gaze to a black, white, and red heap a little ways away.

It was Badgerstripe, covered in blood. I pad closer. There is a long gash on his shoulder, and a deep cut on his neck.

"He was murdered!" I realize. Firelight stares at the body, her eyes wide with horror. Her fur stands on end and her claws are buried into the ground.

_He was her father..._ I remember.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Thunderstar yowls. "Badgerstripe's body was found in the Sunrocks."He says once every cat has gathered. "He was killed."

Outraged caterwauls rise from every cat of StormClan. "It was obviously WaterClan!" One cat screeched. "We should attack!"

"No!" Thunderstar says. "There is no proof. Besides, there are other, more important matters. Badgerstripe was Deputy, and mentor to young Bloodpaw. Wolfshade, you will continue Bloodpaw's training."

Thunderstar looks down at Badgerstripes body, lifting his chin. "I say these words before the body of Badgerstripe, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice! Wolfshade will be the new deputy of StormClan."

Wolfshade, prouder than ever, smiles as the clan cheers his name.

"Wolfshade! Wolfshade!" They cry happily. "Wolfshade! Wolfshade!"

I toss and turn in my nest, unable to sleep. I sigh and sit up. Faint moonlight is shining into the den, illuminating the other apprentices in their quiet sleep. I get up and slip silently out of the den.

"Hello Bloodpaw." Says a voice as I pad out. "Can't sleep?"

I turn and see Firelight sitting outside the Warriors den, her red fur seems to glow in the moonlight. "No." I admit.

"Neither can I." Firelight sighs, her eyes filled with loneliness. They wander up to the sky, and the stars that decorate it. "Badgerstripe rests in StarClan tonight." She says sadly. "He was a wonderful warrior..."

"He was. I'm sorry." I say. I shuffle my paws.

"It's not your fault, Bloodpaw." She closes her eyes for a moment, then open them. "I just don't understand why anyone would kill him! He had no enemies." She bows her head.

"The rocks where we found his body are unstable." I point out. "There could have been a rockfall. Or maybe a rogue. They have no honor at all!"

Firelight nods, clearly unconvinced. "Perhaps." She says dejectedly. "But I have no family left. First Mothkit, then Swiftpaw, and I can't even remember my mother. Now Badgerstripe is gone."

"I think I remember Swiftpaw." I say, frowning. "I remember when she died. I didn't really know what happened to her until now. I remember Foxtail- he was Foxpaw back then- dragging her body into camp, but the kits were told to go in the nursery." I could never make sense of that memory until now.

"She was good with kits." Firelight says. "It makes sense that you would remember a cat like her." Firelight glances up, and sighed. "Its Moonhigh. I'll have to join the patrol. You should sleep. Training tomorrow." She smiles and trots away.

I wake up the next morning when I'm jabbed in the ribs by a sharp claw. I jump, startled awake by none other than Wolfshade.

I scramble to my paws ungracefully, then realize its just him. I huff with annoyance and puff out my chest a little. "That one way to wake me up, I suppose. That hurt!" I swipe my tongue over my ruffled fur.

Wolfshade snorted. "You're fine." He said. "Eat, then we're going to train." He turns and leaves.

When I look outside, I realize it isn't really morning yet. The stars were fading, but the sun has not yet begun to peek over the trees. I stretch and yawn, then pad quietly over to the freshkill pile. I scan the choices and choose a juicy-looking vole. The scent floods my mouth, and I realize how hungry I am. I set it down and take a giant bite.

Wolfshade is pacing back and forth, waiting for me when I run into the training clearing. He stops pacing and looks at me. "Finally." He says. "Now, the first thing we are going to do is Battle training. This is the most important skill you will learn."

Unable to help myself, I say, "Isn't hunting more important?"

"No." Wolfshade growls. "Can you hunt other cats like a rabbit, or mouse? If you are going to defend your clan, you must learn to fight." He glares at me. "Now, attack me."

I hesitate, then, seeing his fierce and rather frightening glare, in charge him. He swiftly dodges and swipes at me, claws extended.

_You're supposed to practice with sheathed claws!_ I think. I am knocked violently into the ground. I hiss and jump up, and leap at him again. Despite a well aimed jump, I land heavily in the grass as he jumps away again.

"Faster!" He says. "You're moving slower than a kittypet!"

Frustrated, I let out a yowl and I dart toward him. I am moving too quickly, unfortunately, and when Wolfshade steps out of my way, I attempt to stop myself, but only manage in tripping, then rolling quickly into a large rock at the edge of the clearing. Pain lances through my spine, and I fall into a heap.

Wolfshade shakes his head. "Too fast, kittypet." He says tauntingly. "You need to be quick, but able to control yourself."

I don't answer. I lift myself to my paws, wincing. I arch my back and stretch. Still aching, I glare at Wolfshade defiantly.

"Attack me again. This is very amusing." Wolfshade smiles.

Too annoyed to consider the consequences of doing so, I sit down and lick the blood from a scratch on my shoulder.

Before I can even react, Wolfshade has me pinned to the ground, his claws digging into my fur. "If you won't, I will." He snarls. "I don't know why I ever thought I could make a cat like you into a warrior." He sighs.

Rage wells up in my chest my eyes burn with fury. I try to get out from under Wolfshade, but his claws only sink deeper. I went slack. Wolfshade smirks and lets me go.

`Instantly, I jump up and leap at him. He hears me and turns just as I barrel into him. I lunge forward, sinking my fangs into his shoulder. He yowls and knocks me off of him.

I stumble but quickly tackle again. Before I can attack, he whirls and his paw slams into the side of my head. I stumble away, the world spinning around me. I feel blood trickle down my face.

I glare furiously at Wolfshade, who is looking at me with a new interest. He stands and says. "You'll make a decent warrior, at least." He leaves the training hollow.

"Decent?" I growl quietly. "I'm the best apprentice in the clan."

I stare down at the water after washing my paws and licking my wounds. I see fish swimming the the clear water. I'm not fishing, though. I'm still annoyed at what happened during training.

"I'll be the best warrior." I promise. "I'll rule the clan!"


	6. Bloodpaw: My First Assessment

Two moons passed, and now Wolfshade has taught me many moves, and now it time for my first assessment.

"This will not be a normal assessment." Wolfshade says. "This is a test of your skill at fighting. Or rather, how willing you are to kill a cat. I won't ask you to kill, yet, though. Remember the ridge at the edge of the territory? Everlastingpaw will be hunting there for her assessment."

I listen as he explains what I am to do. I hesitate, but agree.

` I follow Everlastingpaw silently, sure to stay out of sight of her mentor, Winterwish leaves to check on Silverpaw, I take the opportunity. Everlastingpaw, who is way too curious, looks over the edge of the cliff.

I dart toward her silently, heart pounding. Do I really want to do this? Pushing hte doubts away, I place my paws on her back and, before she can react, push her over the edge.

I ignore any guilty feelings that well up and run off before anyone can come.

"I did it." I say, later that day.

"I know. She's in the medicine cat den." Wolfshade said. "I'm actually surprised she survived."

"Yeah." I agree.

For the rest of the day, it bothers me. Finally, I decide to visit her in the Medicine Cat den.

"Oh, hello, Bloodpaw." Everlastingpaw sighs as I walk into the den.

"I just um... Wanted to see if you were OK. Wolfshade told me what happened." I shift from paw-to-paw uncomfortably. She has a cut on her back, and her hind leg is is wrapped thickly in cobwebs.

Everlastingpaw sees me looking at her leg. "It's broken." She says, her voice heavy with sorrow. She looks down. "Tigerleaf says it may never heal..."

I feel a stab of guilt. "You can't give up hope, though! I bet it'll be fine." My attempts to encourage her are met with a dejected sigh.

"I guess." Her green eyes are troubled. "Also, I didn't fall. Someone pushed me!"

My heart stops momentarily. Did she know it was me? "P-pushed you?" I ask nervously.

"I don't know who." She says with a frown. "I was just looking over the edge; just a peek, and someone just shoved me right over. Some rocks fell on me, which is how I broke my leg. I suppose I'm actually lucky to be alive."

A wave of relief washes over me. She doesn't know! "I've gotta go." I say. "Erm... I hope you get better." I leave the den and look around in search of Firelight. I see her slip out of the warriors den, her coat shining in the afternoon sunlight.

I bound over to her. "Hi, Firelight." I say.

Firelight sees me and smiles. "Hey, Bloodpaw!" She says. "How are you?"

"Good. I finished my first assessment today." I lift my chin proudly.

"That's pretty big." Firelight says. "How do you think you did?" She sits down.

"I'm pretty sure I did good." I say. "My hunting crouch needs some work, though."

"On my first assessment, I did perfectly in hunting, but I was pretty awful when it came to fighting." Firelight says. Her eyes flicker to something behind me, but she quickly returns her gaze to me, a smile spread on her face.

My ears prick and I turn around to see Blackpaw attempting to sneak up on me. When I turn, he jumps up from his crouch and playfully tackles me.

I throw him off and leap to my paws, prepared for another attack. Beside me, Firelight laughs with amusement.

Blackpaw sits down, smirking. "You're pretty good." He said. "I bet you did great on your assessment!"

"Of course." I say boastfully.

"Well, if nothing else, your reflexes are amazing." Firelight says.

I feel my fur grow warm from the praise. "Th-thanks!" I say, smiling.

"Firelight! You're on a patrol, remember?" Darkmoon's voice sounds from across the camp.

Firelight nodded. "I've gotta go." She mews. "I'll see you later, Bloodpaw." She pads after Darkmoon.

I watch her leave, then slip wordlessly into the apprentice den.

I am padding quietly through a dark forest. The StormClan forest, I soon realize. I am going to the Sunning Rocks.

Just before I reach the clearing, I hear a familiar voice. Badgerstripe! I try to run over, but I am in control of neither my voice nor my body.

"You scared my mouse, Wolfshade!" His tone is goodnatured.

"I know you pressured Thunderstar into giving you an apprentice. You asked for Bloodpaw specifically." Wolfshade snarls.

"Aw, Wolfshade. You aren't mad about that, are you?"

I step forward to look at what is happening. It is Badgerstripe! He's alive!

"I am. I would be a much better mentor. I WILL be a better mentor."

"I'm not going to ask Thunderstar to give the kit to you." Badgerstripe growls.

"Very well." Wolfshade's voice is stonily calm as he inspects his unsheathed claws. "I didn't expect you to, anyways."

Badgerstripe glared at Wolfshade, then turned away. "I'll have to report this to Thunderstar." He says.

Suddenly, Wolfshade is on top of him, pinning him down. "You'll have to do that in StarClan." He slices his claws across Badgerstripe's throat, killing him.

My eyes fly open, my hackles raised and my terrified yowl lingering in the air.

"What happened?" Asks an alarmed apprentice. It takes me a moment to identify him as Blackpaw.

"Nothing." I growl. The dream was so... Real. Was it even a dream? Or was it some sort of vision from StarClan?

"Focus, Bloodpaw!" Wolfshade swipes at me but I duck. "Why in StarClans name are you so distant?" Wolfshade glares at me. I flinch, remembering Wolfshade's cold glare in my dream. The glare right before his claws sliced open Badgerstripe's throat.

"N-no reason, Wolfshade." I murmur.

My mentor narrows his eyes. It is obvious he doesn't believe me. However, he simply nods. "Fine." He says. "But pay attention now."

My fears that Wolfshade is a murderer are confirmed that wonderful training session.

"Use that move only when necessary. This is only one killing blow, but it is powerful and useful. You must first pin down your enemy, then cut their throat. It is a rarely used attack."

The image of Wolfshade slicing his claws across Badgerstripe's neck flash in my mind.

"Try it on me. Claws sheathed, for this one."

I instantly bowl him over. I am quickly thrown off, though. This happens several times before I drag my paw over his throat.

"Not bad." Wolfshade says. "You're an exemplary fighter, Bloodpaw. You'll make a good warrior."

I nod silently, getting off of him.

"Now, show me your hunting crouch."

I crouch.

"Lower. You're putting too much weight on your left side. Lower your tail, but not so much that it disturbs the leaves."

I adjust my crouch.

"Maybe now you'll be able to catch something." Wolfshade said seriously.

Nothing much happens the next few moons. Leaffall came and went, Everlastingpaw got her warrior name, even though she would never become a warrior. Her name is Everlastingdreams. Also, she is with Darkmoon. Not mates, yet, but getting there for sure.

And, finally, it is time for my final assessment. Ok, a lot has happened. Including a minor battle between NightClan and BreezeClan. StormClan seems very at peace with the other three clans. Of course, they don't trust us. No one seems to trust anyone around here.

Wolfshade didn't even bother with my fighting assessment. He knew my skills.

"You will hunt on the far border, away from any clan borders." Wolfshade looked at me.

"Alright." I say, confident. I am now nearly as big as him, with darker red stripes and a v-shaped scar on my ear. I flex my claws then turn and dart away.

When I reach the border, I am soon aware of another scent. I open my mouth slightly. Rogues! I tense, hearing a cat approaching. He was obviously not trying to be quiet. He emerged into the clearing. I stare at him, mouth agape. He looked almost just like me!

"You're on RogueClan territory!" The Tom said, grinning.

"Your territory?" I growl. "This is StormClam land!"

The Tom frowns. "Is it?" He tastes the air. "I guess it is. Oh, well. It's mine now."

My jaw drops. "You can't do that!" I sputter, outraged at his audacity.

"Oh? And who going to stop me?" The rogue asks. "You? Are you so arrogant that you think you can defeat Blood, leader of the mighty RogueClan?! Ha. Ridiculous."

**I'm **arrogant? "Wanna test that?" I snarl, unsheathing my claws. This rogue has an air about him that I find irritating. He seems to think that he can stroll into another cat's territory and decide he likes it, and that it's his. He doesn't even have any other cat to back him up! And had the nerve to call me arrogant.

"This is amusing. You amuse me. Who are you?" Blood asked.

"Bloodpaw, apprentice to Wolfshade of StormClan." I puff out my chest proudly.

"Wolfshade? I am suddenly interested. Show me what you've got, apprentice." Blood unsheathes his claws.

I hiss and charge. Just before I reach him, he sidesteps. I feel his fangs sinking into my shoulder. I let out a yowl.


	7. Bloodpaw: The Unfortunate Truth

Random Blood's POV

Bloodpaw's scent floods my mouth. My eyes widen with the shock of the familiar scent. I release him, my hackles spiked. He crumples the the ground, gasping from no doubt, pain. Blood runs down his neck as he looks up at me, his eyes burning with fury.

My heart stops, and the image of a black shecat with amber eyes glaring at me. The image morphs to the same shecat, but her belly was swollen with unborn kits, as she looks at me, practically glowing with adoration.

The apprentice's glare burns into me as I stare, images of the black shecat flashing through my mind. The shecat is-no, was- named Nightshade.

Bloodpaws POV

Blood stares at me, mouth agape and his icy eyes stretched wide with shock.

"What are you staring at, mouse brain?" I hiss, narrowing my eyes.

"You." Blood says, averting his gaze to the ground.

"Why?" I demand. Why has his personality changed so suddenly from cocky and confident, to this?

"Because..." He sighs. "You're my son."

"Wh-what?" I yelp. Disbelief shoots through me. "No! I'm Emberfangs son."

"Ah. Is he the one who rescued you from the fox? Is that how you lived?"

"Emberfang was not responsible for saving him."

I turn to see Wolfshade padding into the clearing. "What?" I cry. "You?"

Wolfshade nods, his gaze never leaving Blood.

Blood smiles. "Wolfshade! Good to see you."

"I can't say the same." Wolfshade says cooly. "Get off my territory."

"Or what?" Blood asks.

"Or I'll show my apprentice my favorite killing blow using you as an example, then throw your body into the river." Wolfshade snarls. He lashed his tail.

Blood narrows his eyes but nods. He turns and stalks away.

"Hunt somewhere else, Bloodpaw." Wolfshade's tone is dangerous so I decide not to say anything.

When I return to camp it is sundown. Firelight looks up when I walk in and her face brightens. She gets up and trots over. "How did it go?" She asks.

"Fine." I say moodily.

"What happened? Is something wrong?"

"You could say that."

Firelight pauses, then nudges me with her shoulder. "You wanna go on a walk and talk to me?"

I smile, my bad mood almost gone. "That would be nice." I say.

"So your father is a rogue..." Firelight says.

"Yup." I say bitterly

"Well that's... Surprising." Firelight chages the subject. "How did you do on your assessment?"

I sigh, then force a grin. "I did pretty good, actually. I think I'll be a warrior soon."

**Sorry this chapter is so short. You may have noticed, but my chapter length isn't exactly consistent. **


	8. Bloodstrike: Goodbye, My Friend

**ALLEGIANCES**

**STORMCLAN**

**LEADER-Thunderstar (Dark grey solid tom with yellow eyes)**

**DEPUTY-Wolfshade(Brown tabby tom with amber eyes)**

**MEDICINE CAT-Tigerleaf(Light orange brown tabby with green eyes)**

**Apprentice:Frostpaw**

**WARRIORS-**

**Smokeflame(Dark grey tabby tom with orange eyes.)**

**Mistwing(Misty grey solid she cat with grey eyes.)**

**Emberfang(Bright ginger tabby tom with amber eyes)**

**Apprentice:Hawkpaw**

**Foxtail(Solid reddish brown tom with green eyes)**

**Apprentice:Willowpaw**

**Snowstorm(White solid tom with green eyes)**

**Winterwish(White shecat with blue eyes)**

**Blueshine(Blue grey tabby she cat with blue eyes)**

**Firelight(Ginger she cat with yellow eyes)**

**Darkmoon(Black smoke tabby tom with blue eyes)**

**Midnightshadows(Black smoke tabby she cat with dark blue eyes.)**

**Dapplefur(Pretty calico she cat with green eyes.)**

**Apprentice:Rainpaw**

**Leafmoon(pale silver tabby shecat)**

**Silverdream(Dark silver tabby she cat with green eyes)**

**Bloodstrike(Bright ginger tom with russet stripes and bright amber eyes.)**

**Blackpelt(Black tom with green eyes)**

**Ashfall(Dark Grey tabby tom with amber eyes)**

**APPRENTICES-**

**Frostpaw(White shecat with blind blue eyes(Medicine Cat Apprentice))**

**Hawkpaw(Brown tabby tom with green eyes)**

**Willowpaw(Silver longhaired shekit with blue eyes)**

**Rainpaw(dark grey tabby tom with green eyes)**

**QUEENS-**

**Everlastingdreams(Calico shecat with a scarred leg and green eyes. Expecting Darkmoon's kits)**

**Ambergaze(Pale grey tabby she cat with amber eyes. Expecting Smokeflame's kits)**

**KITS-**

**None**

BLOODSTRIKE

"Bloodpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even with your life?"

I take a deep breath. "I do."

"Then from the day forward you will be known as Bloodstrike!"

"Bloodstrike! Silverdream! Ashfall! Blackpelt!" The clan cheers.

"Good job, Bloodstrike!" Firelight says. She licks my cheek. My fur grows warm.

"Thanks Firelight!" I purr. "Erm... Do you want to go on a walk? I really enjoyed last night."

"I'd love to, but I'm on a patrol. Maybe later, though." She rubs against me as she leaves.

"You have to sit vigil, lovebird." Blackpelt snickers.

"Oh, right." I mutter.

By the morning I can hardly keep my eyes open. Snowstorm pads out of the warriors den. "You can speak now." He says.

"Thanks StarClan!" Silver dreams says. "I've never been quiet for that long for all my life!"

"That includes sleeping." Ashfall snickers.

"Hey, I don't snore on purpose, fleabrain."

"I'm going to sleep." I yawn.

The nightmare that has plagued me for moons did not come. Instead of a dream where Wolfshade murders Badgerstripe, I find myself in a bright forest. A cat stands before me.

"Badgerstripe!" I exclaim.

"We need to talk, Bloodstrike."

"Is it about Wolfshade?"

"No. This is about you. You must promise that you will follow and defend the warrior code."

"Of course!" I say.

"Killing blows are not allowed in the code. You must not kill unless completely nessacary."

"I-I won't." I promise. "Why would I?"

Before he can answer, I wake up in my nest. "You're on sun high patrol." Snowstorm pokes me awake.

"Rogues have marked in our territory!" Blackpelt says angrily.

I taste the air and smell Blood, my father. I hiss in annoyance.

"You're on RogueClan territory!" A female voice yowls. A russet shecat bursts from the bushes. She has a long, fluffy tail and slanted, ice blue eyes.

"RogueClan?" Blackpelt asks.

"We are a large clan; Bigger than you mousebrains!" The shecat says.

"This is Stormclan territory, fox heart!" I snarl.

She looks over at me, annoyed. Her expression turns to amused glee. "Oh, you must be Bloodpaw. How nice! My brother told me about you"

"You're bloods sister?" I ask.

"Yes. That means were kin, I suppose. By the way, I'm Shred."

"Kin?" Blackpelt asks. "What does she-"

"Shut up, Blackpelt!" I snarl. I turn back to the rogue. "Get off of our territory, _Shred._"

"Let's make a deal. I want a one-on-one battle with you. If I win, RogueClan gets this bit of territory. If you win, you get to keep it. Deal?"

"Deal." I say without thinking.

"That is not for you to decide, Bloodstrike!" Snowstorm says.

"Too late. He has already agreed." Shred smiles cruelly. She flexes her claws, then charges at me. I have no time to dodge, due to the unfortunate fact that Shred practically moves with the speed of CheetahClan.

Her claws rake through the fur on my shoulder. I hiss with pain and turn to attack. My fangs sink into the side of the shecats neck. She screeches and throws me off. She leaps at me. I sidestep, and rake my claws through her russet fur.

She escapes my claws and whirls around, her ice blue eyes burning with hatred as blood stains her fur. She rushes forward and knocks me down. She pins me to the ground, and I feel her claws pressing into my neck.

"Sorry. Did I forget to mention we were fighting to the death?" She laughs cruelly. Suddenly, a black figure knocks into her.

"NO!" Blackpelt cries, biting into her shoulder. Shred hisses and throws my friend off and gets on top of him. Before anyone can react at all, his throat is sliced open, blood pouring out of the fresh wound.

Shred flicks Blackpelt's blood off of her claws. "Foolish," She says. "As if he could have beat me!"

"This has gone far enough, rogue!" Snowstorm yells. "Leave."

"I suppose." Shred says. "I'll get my fight to the death, Bloodstrike. Some day, I guarantee it."

"You should not have fought her." Snowstorm says once she has gone.

"I know." I say, bowing my head. "I'm sorry."


	9. Bloodstrike: Nothing Bad Happens

FIRELIGHT'S POV

I see Snowstorm, Willowpaw, and Bloodstrike pad into camp, dragging a black shape. Blackpelt! He is... The scent of blood and death hits me.

"What happened, Bloodstrike?" I ask.

He looks up and me, his amber eyes clouded with guilt.

"What happened?" I ask again, my voice hardly even a whisper,

"When we were on patrol, we ran into another rogue; My fathers sister. She wanted to fight me alone. If I won, StormClan got to keep the territory that they wanted. I was a fool to accept. I shouldn't have even decided!" He flattens his ears, shaking his head angrily.

"During the battle, she had me pinned to the ground, about to kill me, but Blackpelt stopped her. She didn't even hesitate. She just slit his throat with her claws." His eyes reveal unspoken fury. "His death is my fault. If we had fought Shred together, no one would have died."

My heart aches to see him feeling so guilty. I rub my nose gently on his cheek. "It's not your fault; Its no ones fault."

Bloodstrike looks at me, sadness replacing rage.

"Firelight, you've... always been so kind to me," he says. "I... I love you." He looks away, embarrassed.

My fur grows warm. "Really?" I ask quietly. He nods, still not looking at me. I smile. "Bloodstrike, I love you too."

He raises his head. "You do?" he asks hopefully.

"Yes."

BLOODSTRIKE'S POV

I wake up curled up next to Firelight, a few days after our confessions. I purr and wrap my tail around hers. In her sleep, she smiles and snuggles a bit closer. Silverdream wakes up, yawning. She looks over at us.

"Ew!" She says childishly. "There are plenty of nests in here, you know!"

Firelight raises her head. She smiles, clearly amused, and licks my cheek.

Silverdream snorts. "It's bad enough Everlstingdreams is expecting Darkmoon's kits! Now its you two."

My face grows warm with embarrassment. I shoot her a glare and then get up. I walk sluggishly out of the den and stretch. Firelight follows me.

"She's just teasing." She says.

"I know." I say with an annoyed sigh. "I'll be sure to giver her a bunch of mouse dung when _she_ falls in love."

"I'm sure you will." Firelight says with a laugh. She looks up at me with a wide smile.

"Well, I won't fall in love anytime soon. By the time I do, you'll have matured a bit." Silverdream says, trotting out of the den.

I roll my eyes, trying not to be annoyed but failing miserably. "She's the immature one."

"They've still been marking our territory!" A few days later, I'm on a patrol. We're keeping a close eye on the chunk of territory wanted by RogueClan.

"I don't see why we can't simply chase them out." Hawkpaw snorts.

"It's not exactly simple." Snowstorm says. "The way Shred talked about her clan... I wouldn't want to fight them. They have no honor, and it sounds like there are a lot of them."

Hawkpaw looks annoyed. "We could take them, though! Why can't _we_ kill _them_ as well?"

"Don't you realize what you're saying?" Winterwish asks, clearly appalled. "You can't simply kill them. It goes against the warrior code!"

"An honorable warrior does not need to kill other cats to win their battles, unless they are outside the warrior code or if it is necessary for self-defense." Recites Hawkpaw with a sigh. "Guess what? Rogues are outside the warrior code. We can kill them."

"Quiet, Hawkpaw! We are not going to stroll into camp and slaughter them all! It is out of the question." Snowstorm lashes his tail.

Hawkpaw sighs.

"Shred said that there are more rogues than StormClan warriors. We would be outnumbered." I add. Hawkpaw shoots me a dirty look but says nothing.

"Everlastingdreams has had her kits!" Firelight says when we return to camp. "It's odd; One looks very much like you."

I scowl and pad over to the nursery. Everlastingdreams looks up. "Hello, Bloodstrike." She says tiredly. "Care to see the kits?"

"Sure." I say, padding in. Nestled against their mother are three, healthy kits. One is smaller than the others, a calico shekit. The second is black, with faint grey stripes. The last one is the biggest, and has brilliant red fur.

"The calico is named Spottedkit, the black one is Shadowkit, and the red one in named Redkit." Everlastingdreams purrs. Redkit mews loudly at the sound of his name.

"They look quite healthy." I comment.

"They are."

Frostpaw pads in with some herbs. "Here's some Borage and Poppy Seeds." She said, dropping the herbs. "Eat them."

Everlastingdreams licked up the seeds and chewed the leaves, cringing at the no doubt awful taste.

A few days later when I return from a tiring hunting patrol, Firelight pads over to me, her yellow eyes wide with surprise and joy.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I'm expecting kits." She says, her voice squeaking. "_Your_ kits!"

I drop the prey I am carrying. "Wh-what?" I ask, stunned.

She looks worried. "Yes. Is something wrong with that?"

"No!" I assure her. "I'm just surprised. Kits! Great StarClan. That's wonderful."

Firelight smiles.

That moonrise I go to the Gathering with Thuderstar, Wolfshade, Tigerleaf, Frostpaw, Hawkpaw, Willowpaw, Rainpaw, Firelight, Winterwish, and Foxtail.

"Our first Gathering!" Willowpaw exclaims with a squeak. "I can't wait to get here! Can we move a bit faster?"

"No." Hawkpaw snorts. "Be patient, stupid furball."

Willowpaw bares her teeth but says nothing.

"I do find this very anticipating." Rainpaw says.

Willowpaw says nothing still.


	10. Bloodstrike: Something Bad Happens

"Thunderstar is dead."

"Dead?" I ask. "He's... Dead?!"

"Blackcough is worse than any cat thought. Shadowkit is dead as well, and Snowstorm has caught it."

"This will wipe out the clan if we aren't careful!" I cry. I can't help but think of Firelight.

"All infected cats are going to stay in the Hollow Log. Tigerleaf found more catmint, as well. A lot."

I nod. "Has Firelight caught greencough?"

Wolfshade snorts. "Ah, yes. I heard she was expecting your kits. She fine. Not even whitecough."

"Thank you. Are you traveling to the moonstone tonight?"

"Yes. You're in charge when I'm gone."

"Me?" I ask "Why not someone like… Foxtail?"

"Because I've chosen you." Wolfshade says. "I will leave soon."

"Yes, Wolfshade." I sigh.

"I've organized patrols for today." He adds.

The day passes uneventfully. We sit vigil for Thunderstar, and no cat dies. But the next morning, I wake up and see Firelight gone. I get up and pad outside. I look in Every den, but Firelight is nowhere to be seen. I can't help but be worried, seeing as how she is expecting kits. So I look in the forest.

I taste the air. She left camp, and recently. I follow the trail and find a dead mouse in the snow. So she just went hunting. _What is a cat in her state doing out here hunting? What a mouse brain._

Annoyed, I continue to follow the scent. I grow tense as I realize her scent trail is leading to the RogueClan clearing. My pace quickens.

A yowl of terror slices through the air. My eyes widen. _Firelight._ I take off toward the yowl in a panicked sprint until I come to the clearing that is the border between us and RogueClan.

When I emerge into the clearing, I stop dead in my tracks. The sharp taste of blood hangs in the air. Standing in the snow, looking proud as ever, is Blood. His eyes glitter coldly, as he stares down at his most recent kill.

The red lump of fur at his paws lies motionless in a vast pool of scarlet blood. _No._ I think, running over. _No!_ Firelight's belly and neck is soaked in her own blood, her yellow eyes glazed over and unseeing.

"Why have you come to RogueClan territory, son?" I hear Blood say, his voice dripping with superiority. I jump to my paws, every hair standing on end. I throw myself at my father, ripping my claws through his fur.

"You pile of _fox dung_!" I screech.

Blood yowls, pulling away from me. "She was hunting in RogueClan territory. She was weak-"

"SHE WAS EXPECTING KITS!" I roar, again attacking him. I bite down on the back of his neck, holding my grip until his thrashing stopped.

I step away, staring down at his motionless body. My body shakes with rage. I have just killed my father, but I don't care. Why should I? He is the one who killed the only cat I loved, and my kits with her. I hold onto my anger and hatred. Adrenaline coursed through me.

I look up, hearing another cat. She is a pale brown shecat with white spots dotted on her back. When she sees Blood, she gasps. "You... You killed him! You killed my father!"

"Yeah, well, he deserved it." I snarled. "Wait-. Your father?"

Her ice blue eyes hardened. "Yes. You must be Bloodstrike? My half brother, I suppose."

"Get out of here, rogue, before I make you into crowfood. RogueClan has tried one too many times to take this territory!" I took a step forward, making the rogue flatten her ears.

"Why should I? You killed Blood, my father and my leader. I will stay and never leave! ROGUECLAN, ATTACK!"

My eyes widen as rogues leap from the shadows and race past me. The brown tabby glares at me, then darts past me. I turn to try to catch her, but suddenly am flattened by a rogue. Her scent reached my nose.

"I'll finally be able to kill you! How dare you kill Blood! He did nothing to you." Shred's claws sink deeper in my fur

"He killed Firelight." I snarl, throwing her off. I leap onto my paws, fresh rage surging through me.

Shred glances at Firelights body. "Did he, now? Well, why does she matter?"

I throw myself at her, snarling. "She was my mate, expecting my kits."

Shred winces, but her mouth is twisted into a cruel smile. "Oh, that's a shame." She purrs. "Why not just get another mate? That's what Blood did when your mother, Nightshade died."

I hiss and rake my claws over her belly, causing blood to soak her fur almost instantly. She lets out a yowl and struggles under my paws.

"I cannot simply _replace_ her, mousebrain. She was one of a kind, perfect in every way. There is no other shecat like that in the world." I place my claws over her throat.

"No! Don't kill me!" Shred yowls, thrashing even more. There is terror in her words, and she changes from cruel and taunting to frightened and weak. Why shouldn't I kill her? I press my claws into her fur, causing her to emit a small squeak.

"Why shouldn't I?" I ask, my voice stonily calm. "It is far better than you deserve."

"B-but... We're **kin**!" She trembled desperately.

I snort and extend my claws just long enough so that they pierce her skin. "I. Don't. Care."

I tear my claws through my opponents fur, sending them fleeing from StormClan territory. I glance around me, looking for another cat to attack, but then I hear someone yowl,

"RogueClan, retreat!"

The cats around me look up, then the rogues dart out of camp. I sheathe my claws.


End file.
